behind the mask
by angelgirl 158
Summary: A story of a dance that chaged the lifes of Lily and James forever.
1. Chapter 1

The last summer winds blew through James Potter's dark unkempt black hair as he sat on the steps of his home. He fiddled with a snitch in his pocket and nervously tapped his foot. He and his mum were supposed to be leaving for the train station, but she was frantically searching throughout the house for the keys to a magical vehicle lent to the Potter family from the Ministry.

"Mum," James called from the porch as he released the Snitch into the neighborhood for good. "Why do you need keys? You're a witch."

A red faced Mrs. Potter appeared behind the door and rolled her eyes out of ignorance.

"Thanks, James," she said graciously. Her long black hair was the opposite of his own, silky and smooth. Her warm hazel eyes were dancing in laughter, but also in sadness as she was watching her only son leave her once more. This time was also the last time. "What would I do without you?"

"Knit," he figured. "You would do a lot of knitting. You always tried that when I was younger, but I refused to give you a moments peace."

"That you did," she said. She watched as her seventeen year old son, now of legal age, levitated his things into the trunk of the car. He had passed his apparition test, but had agreed with his mum that they would drive to King's Cross for old time's sake.

James was quiet for the entire ride, his thoughts wondering upon things he didn't wish to share with his mum. Right before he had left last year, an awful, dangerous thing had happened. Sirius Black, James' best friend, had told Severus Snape, a slimy seventh year that James and Sirius despised, that Remus Lupin resided in the Shrieking Shack once a month. What Sirius failed to mention was that Remus was a werewolf and transformed every full moon in that shack. James had heard wind of this and had to save Snape, much to his displeasure, for Remus' sake.

Remus had been mad at Sirius for the longest time after that, two weeks, and had finally managed to mend their friendship before leaving. James hoped that the Marauders would still be as close as ever this year.

It was rare seeing James without Sirius as the two of them were practically like brothers. The summer before sixth year, Sirius had moved out of his parents' home and into the Potter's house. Yet, this summer, Sirius had inherited money from his late Uncle Alphard and had bought himself a flat in London. James had visited there often, but it was odd boarding the train without his best friend.

As he saw the magical barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, James turned and smiled down at his mother. Between the end of sixth year and the start of seventh, James had experienced a growth spurt and not towered above his mum.

"Oh, James," his mother cried, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Mum," he insisted, leaning down to hug her. "Tell Dad that I'll miss him as well."

"Oh, I will," she said, fixing his shirt and trying to straighten his hair. "You behave now. I don't want anymore owls from Professor Dumbledore saying that you and Sirius have blown up the trophy room."

"That was in second year, Mum," James reminded her. "Keep up with the times."

"Goodbye!" she waved, before watching her son run his trolley through Platform 9 ¾. She then walked back to her car, unaware of a set of eyes watching her.

Lily Evans had just arrived at the station, held up by her sister Petunia, and had seen James Potter actually acting like a human being with his mother. She looked at Mrs. Potter, a kind woman, and wondered how James had come out of such a lovely lady. She looked over at her own mother, with her thick auburn hair and dazzling blue eyes. Mrs. Evans was a caring woman, a woman who supported Lily and all that she did.

"I'm going to miss you," Lily said, hugging her mum. "I don't know what I do without you."

"Well, you better write to me," her mother insisted. "I'll be busy with Petunia's wedding, so it'll be refreshing to hear from you."

Mr. Evans kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"Make us proud, Lily," he said to her. Lily looked down at her Head Girl badge thoughtfully. Although she knew she had always done well in school, she hadn't really imagined becoming Head Girl. It was an honor for her.

"I will," she said quietly. "I have to go now. I love you."

She walked through the barrier and smiled up at the steam engine. She looked around for her best friend, Sydney Davis. Lily and Sydney had pretty much been thrown together from day one. They were both in the same year, Gryffindor house, and shared a dorm with a bunch of superficial girls whom were sometimes described as demonic. They had to stick together in order to survive.

"Lily!" a voice called from the left. Lily turned to see a pretty girl with short black hair and bright blue eyes. Sydney was not the prettiest girl in the school, but something about her made her stand out from the rest. Lily tended to think it was her spunk, but the boys of the school believed it was her smile.

"How was your summer?" Sydney asked excitedly. "Meet any boys?"

"I live with my parents and my sister," Lily reminded her. "In Surrey. There are no boys to speak of that are halfway decent."

"I met one," Sydney said. "My parents shipped me off to a camp with other magical folk and I met this boy named Ben who goes to Durmstrang."

She waggled her eyebrows at Lily and Lily laughed.

"We better find a seat," Lily said, boarding the train and heading down the aisle. "Everywhere looks pretty full. Petunia was complaining to my mum about the color of the wedding dress. She held her up for at least ten minutes talking about the pros and cons of the color pink."

"Sounds fascinating," Sydney insisted. "Here, let's sit in this one."

Alice George, a shy seventh year girl who also occupied their dorm, was sitting alone and watching people out the window. Sydney and Lily had never really gotten to know Alice, as all of Alice's friends were in Hufflepuff, but they had always thought she seemed normal compared to the others in their dorm.

"Hi Alice," Sydney said boisterously. She sat down across from the small, blonde girl and smiled.

"Hi Sydney," Alice replied in a somewhat grateful tone. "Lily. You don't know how relieved I am that someone sat with me."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, sitting down next to Alice.

"Well, you know my friends in Hufflepuff?" The other two girls nodded. "They think that Frank Longbottom likes me, which he clearly does not, so they sort of resent me now."

"That's crazy," Sydney quietly said. "It's Frank's decision who he likes, not theirs, and if they were true friends it wouldn't matter."

"I don't know where they would get that idea anyways," Alice mumbled. "I barely know Frank."

"But he's handsome," Sydney commented. Her blue eyes innocently surveyed the blush rising in Alice's cheeks. Something caught her eye before she could comment on it. "Lily, you made Head Girl?"

"Oh yeah," Lily remembered, standing up abruptly and opening the door. "Sorry to run, but I need to go to the front of the train for a bit."

"Good luck," Sydney and Alice called from the compartment.

Lily's heart raced as she moved towards the door. The carriage door was right in front of her, but Lily couldn't move to open the door. Something in the back of her mind told her that once she opened that door, there was no turning back. Call it intuition, but Lily had good sense about things. Most things, that is.

Quickly, she opened the compartment door and her green eyes opened wide in surprise. Someone was already in the compartment waiting for her. A tall, slightly more filled out James Potter stood by the window and turned quietly as she opened the door. He didn't say anything to her, didn't even smirk, just shyly smiled and picked up a piece of parchment from the seat.

"Potter," Lily managed to say in disbelief. She couldn't get over the way he was looking at her, right into her eyes. It was nerve wracking. It was as if he was examining her to the utmost extent. He was seeing her. She didn't know how much she liked that. "You're Head Boy?"

He nodded and handed her the piece of parchment.

"McGonagall left that," he said in a deep voice. "It's a list of passwords. I already gave them to the Prefects. That's just for your own knowledge."

He headed towards the door and before he shut the door, he mumbled, "Congratulations on becoming Head Girl, Lily."

She had never held a more civil conversation with James in her life and she had only said four words to him.

"Prongs!" Sirius yelled as James entered the compartment. He nearly lunged for James as he hugged his friend. "Where've you been? Party started twenty minutes ago."

He was referring to the sweets, the other Marauders, and the blonde Hufflepuff all within the compartment.

"Moony, Wormtail," James acknowledged before sitting down. "Padfoot, I was in the Heads compartment. I made Head Boy."

Silence filled the compartment. Sirius' mouth hung wide open. The blonde stopped chewing her gum. Peter stopped scratching his head. Remus stopped tapping his foot.

After a couple minutes of stunned silence, they all told James congratulations, except Sirius who believed becoming a figure of authority was a mortal sin.

"You're on the dark side now, Prongs," Sirius whispered.

"Well, Lily's on the dark side with me too," James, announced. Remus nodded, although a question popped into his mind.

"You're still going after her then?" Remus asked cautiously.

"Slowly," James assured his friend. "I've decided that all previous attempts were rubbish. Lily seems like the kind of person who needs to be led into things. I figure I've been doing things wrong for years."

"What do you mean? You've gotten loads of girls before," Sirius reminded his friend.

"Not Lily," James said quietly. "Lately, she's the only one I've wanted too."

"Wow, Prongs," Peter commented. James looked up at his friend. "You've grown up."

"I think I have," James said.

Once Lily had attended the feast, supervised the first years' tour of the dorms, and been introduced to the Heads bathroom and lounge, Lily made her way up the stairs with less energy than she had relied on.

"A dance," Lily grumbled. "We're going to have a dance at this blasted school."

"I know," Sydney said anxiously. "I can't wait. It's going to be absolutely marvelous."

Alice smiled. The three girls had gotten to know each other a lot better on the train ride and during the feast. Alice had admitted how uncomfortable she had always felt in the dorm, what with all the other loony girls frolicking around.

"This dance is going to be the biggest headache since O.W.L's," Lily insisted. "First, I'm going to have help organize it, the girls in our dorm are going to go spastic this entire month, there is going to be much more trouble at that dance than necessary, and girls and boys' self-esteem is going to be feeling a lot of pressure. A dance is the last thing we need."

"You're no fun," Sydney teased, sticking her tongue out. Her black hair was held up into a messy bun with an eagle feather quill. Somehow, she made it work. "So Alice, who do you want to go with?"

"Hmm," Alice contemplated. "Maybe Remus Lupin. He's nice and fairly attractive."

"You like the good boys?" Sydney asked, making a face. "Me? I'm more into bad boys. Something about rebellion just draws me to them. Evan Rosier seems like a good possibility."

"You're joking," Lily exclaimed. "Rosier? The same Rosier that stages loud conversations about his latest Muggle hunting trips?"

"What can I say? I might not support his cause, but he does have a very sexy head of hair," Sydney gushed, holding a pillow on her bed. "Recklessness is a definite turn on."

"What about you, Lily? Anyone in particular you're thinking of going with?" Alice asked.

"That is, if I go," Lily reminded the two.

"You're going," Sydney automatically responded.

"How can you be so sure?" Lily inquired.

"There is no way in hell that James Potter would let you miss this dance for a second," Sydney retorted, looking her friend daringly in the eye.

For once, Lily was left speechless on the subject of her supposed enemy, James Potter.

**A/N: Hope you liked it so far. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Potter, Evans," Professor McGonagall addressed as she approached the two of them at dinner. Lily and James looked up at the Transfiguration teacher. "Professor Dumbledore and I discussed the upcoming dance this afternoon. We think it would be best if done on Halloween. So, this means that the planning will have to start immediately."

"Sure thing, Professor," James assured the teacher. He looked over at Lily. "When do you want to get started on it?"

The teacher saw that her two students were planning on meeting, so she headed back to the staff table.

"When are you free?" Lily asked him, knowing all too well about his strict Quidditch schedule.

"Tonight," James offered. "And also Friday."

"Sounds good to me," Lily decided. "Tonight the two of us will make the basic outline. Friday we'll think of jobs the Prefects can help us with. The following week we'll go into detail."

James nodded and they went back into eating their desert. Sirius eyed the scene skeptically, an odd feeling arising. He had never seen the two of them act so civil towards one another. He wondered if maybe he was imagining it. He knew he wasn't when he saw Sydney Davis and Alice George looking bemused as well.

"Sorry I'm late," James apologized as he approached the table Lily had sat at in the library. He placed his bag down and took out a piece of parchment. "Peter held me up. I was helping him with his Transfiguration homework."

_That's thoughtful_, Lily commented inside her head.

"That's ok," Lily said, although she had fully intended on lecturing him. Now, it seemed so petty. She had her own parchment and quill in front of her and was tapping it nervously. "So, what do you want to start with?"

"Well," James began. "They want a Halloween dance. Obviously, Dumbledore is getting tired of the normal feast and festivities. I think he's looking for something new. Something that the school has never seen before."

"That's great and all," Lily agreed. "But what hasn't Hogwarts seen? Hogwarts has been around nearly forever. What would be different in a school like this?"

"Well, dances are all about your date," he told her.

"No they're not," Lily, contradicted. "Dances are about unity. They're a symbol of togetherness within the school."

"Evans, be real here," James, replied. "Dances are all about the person you're going with. You live in a dorm full of high maintenance girls. What are Hogsmeade weekends all about to them?"

"Dates," Lily answered dully. "And how much makeup they can load onto their face."

James snorted. "Precisely. Now, what if we shake things up a bit? What if your date remains as the most important factor, but you simply don't know who your date is?"

"You mean, disguises? Costumes?" Lily asked, trying to imagine the frenzy this dance would create.

"I mean a masquerade. Masks," James told her. "With masks, your date is important, but you don't choose them for how good looking they are. You choose them for the person that lies behind the mask. It's all about depth."

Lily contemplated and then smiled. "I like it. The shallowness that usually accompanies these sort of events will no longer be allowed."

"It could create inter house unity," James pointed out. "Slytherins and Gryffindors have a well known rivalry. If a Slytherin boy and a Gryffindor girl get to know one another at the dance, who knows what could happen? The entire feud could be broken. The ideas and traditions of each house could combine and create a more equal atmosphere."

"The entire blood hypocrisy could be diminished," Lily finished, realizing just how much of an impact this dance could be. "Where did you come up with such a brilliant idea?"

Apparently, James had come up with it. He didn't say this, but Lily could tell. Instead of bragging, his cheeks turned red and he tried to change the topic. The fact that they were carrying on so well was making both of them quite nervous. Lily felt flushed, unusually flushed, and decided that before things got too complicated, she better leave.

"Well, you had some good ideas today, Potter," Lily complimented, gathering her things. "So Friday then? Same time and place?"

"Guess so," James commented. "Want to walk back?"

She hadn't realized he would be leaving with her. Now that she had thought about it, it made sense. He rarely spent time in the library.

The two of them walked quietly down the halls, the torches on the wall being the only light to guide their way. James strolled casually, his bag on his shoulder and his hand in his pockets. She was more preserved and uptight, clutching her books to her chest.

"So, what are your plans for this masquerade? Going to meet up with any masked men?" James asked her, smiling.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she teased. "Actually, I might not even go."

He hadn't thought about that. The entire time, the appeal of a dance was thrilling. It would be an opportunity to see Lily. He hadn't taken into account that she may not even like dances.

"You have to go," James protested. "You're Head Girl."

"You'll be going," Lily reminded him. "It's not like you won't be able to handle it."

"It'll be fun," James insisted. "Please?"

Since when was she letting James Potter convince her to go to things?

_We're Head Boy and Head Girl. It's normal for them to be civil to one another. Normal. Completely normal. Why is it that he's getting in my head all the time though?_, Lily thought. So many thoughts were jumbling around in her brain. She hated him, she didn't mind him, she hated him. She was going back and forth.

"Fine," she said before she could stop herself. "I'll give it a try."

"You won't regret it," James called as he dashed down the hall to find his friends.

"You can't guarantee that," she whispered to herself.

A couple of weeks passed and soon, the start of October and the fall season began. Hogsmeade weekend had quickly approached and Lily, Sydney, and Alice were sipping hot mugs of Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks.

"Ah, nothing's better than a hot mug of Butterbeer," Sydney expressed, caressing the mug as if it were her infant. Her black hair was in her eyes, but she quickly shoved it away by blowing it out of her face.

"I can't keep it in any longer," Alice squealed. "Those Hufflepuffs were right. Frank Longbottom fancies me. He asked me out for today, but I told him I wasn't sure."

"Scratch what I said before about the Butterbeer," Sydney corrected herself. "Nothing's better than a handsome Quidditch player that asks you out."

_Hm, handsome Quidditch player who likes me_," Lily pondered. _James._

Lily stopped sipping her Butterbeer when she realized that she had non-verbally called him James. If she was calling him James in her head, surely she would be calling him that out of her head. She couldn't call Potter anything but Potter; it would give him signs that she liked him, which she clearly did NOT.

She started banging her head against the table.

"Lily," Alice said in a weary, somewhat scared voice.

"Shh," Sydney hushed. "Something's going on in her head that she doesn't like. This happens usually around exam time. Lily honey, it's ok. O.W.L's are over. You did well on them."

"It's not that," Lily grumbled, raising her head from the table and allowing her red hair to fall to her shoulders. "I am just really frustrated about this dance."

"I'm not," Sydney assured her friends. "You told me it was a masquerade, right? Well, I may not be able to see their face, but I can see their body."

"That is so shallow," Lily scorned her friend.

"But oh so true," Sydney reminded Lily. "Alice, tell me that's not what you were thinking when Lily told us that?"

Alice giggled at Syd, blushed, and refused to answer.

"Well, cretins like Sirius Black are going to be thinking the same thing about the girls," Lily groaned. "When James and I talked about it, the entire thing was supposed to steer the students away from shallowness."

"Oh," Sydney answered wisely. "What else have James and you been talking about?"

_James_, Lily thought to herself. _I called him James. Damn, I knew this would happen._

With that, she started banging her head against the table again.

"Masquerade, huh?" Sirius asked when James told him the news. The four Marauders were sitting at the bar of the Three Broomsticks, drinking four hot mugs of Butterbeer.

"Yep, that's the plan," James said, in-between sips of his drink.

"So I won't be able to see any birds' faces at all the whole night?" Sirius asked, making sure he had the idea correct.

"Exactly," Remus told Sirius. "The idea is for us to get past the outside appearance."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked. "This dance is practically screaming shallowness. Hear me out. We can't look at the girls' faces, but we can look at every other part of their body. Don't you think that's a bit shallow? I mean, trust me, I am the male equivalent of shallow. I know it when I hear it."

James knew some guys would take it the wrong way. The dance was about getting to know people. It was his way of showing Lily he, himself, wasn't completely shallow.

"I talked her into going," James announced.

"Lily Evans is going?" Peter asked. "I heard she wasn't."

"Well, I told her it would be fun and she reluctantly agreed. It was odd. We have been carrying on fairly civilly for the past month," James noted. "I am rather enjoying it."

"Well, be sure to be careful around her. She's pretty fragile," Remus told his friend.

"You're telling me," Sirius said, looking over his shoulder. James turned to see Lily banging her head against the table. "Well, she had beauty and brains. Obviously, there was no room for sanity. Hey, you can't have everything."

_You can't have everything_, James thought to himself. _What if someone means everything to you? Does that count as everything? All I really want is Lily. But how do I get her?_

He knew it would all lead back to that dance. It was his one chance to show her he wasn't a complete screw up. 


	3. Chapter 3

The week of October 31st was a very anxious, impatient week for the students of Hogwarts. Students third year and above were anxious for the dance. Students below third year were anxious for sneaking in. Professor Dumbledore's face appeared young and festive, even with the increasing power of a dark wizard of the name Voldemort.

Friday night was the dance, so teachers basically felt as though it was completely useless to try and teach. The autumn leaves strolled past the windows, looking particularly beautiful in the October sunlight. The air grew slightly colder, but the weather was still fair.

All in all, the day was perfect for a dance. James smiled to himself as he recalled the plans he and Lily had made only a month before. They had come alive the night before. The Great Hall was decorated extravagantly, a band was hired, and the usual amount of chaos leading up to it had already been diminished.

As James and his fellow Marauders headed onto the grounds to sit beneath a willow tree they had affectionately dubbed their own, the topic of the dance sparked.

"So Padfoot, who's going to be your date?" Peter asked. Sirius grinned, letting out a bark like laugh.

"Wormtail, Wormtail, Wormtail. Date? You obviously don't know me well enough," Sirius told his friend.

"How many are you bringing?" James inquired.

"Four as of now," Sirius informed them. "Yet, we still have four hours until the dance. Who knows how many I could be taking by then?"

Although it was too cold to dip their feet in the lake, Lily, Alice, and Sydney sat the shore, feeling the waves let off a nice breeze.

"So Syd, who's going to be your date?" Alice casually asked.

Sydney's bright blue eyes filled with laughter. Her smile was so wide all her sparkly white teeth were being shown.

"Date? Innocent Alice. How much you have to learn," Sydney replied. Alice looked over at Lily for explanation.

"What she means is that there is more than one," Lily correctly interpreted.

"There is three right now," Sydney reported. "Should be an interesting evening."

"Do you even know all their names?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Does it matter?" Sydney retorted. "It's a masquerade."

"That it is," Lily muttered.

"So, Lily, you're the belle of the ball, who're you going with?" Sydney asked.

"No one," Lily answered.

"I like that move," Sydney deduced. "She's planning on finding someone at the dance. It's understandable."

"I'm not going because my hormones are out of whack like yours are," Lily insisted. "I'm going to make sure that there is no fighting, drinking, no indecent exposure…"

"No fun," Sydney finished for her. Lily laughed sarcastically.

"Well, I don't have a date either," Alice said. "But that doesn't mean I won't leave without one."

"Atta girl," Sydney commented, smiling.

While Sydney and Alice took lots of time to get ready, Lily had simply thrown herself together in twenty minutes. She had worn the dress she had picked out the weekend before, put on very little makeup, and thrown her hair up into a messy up do. She really didn't have much reason to look extravagant.

Sydney was busy doing Alice's hair into an elegant French twist. Her dirty blonde hair was now sleek and shiny. Her makeup was done and her pale blue dress was neatly on. Sydney hadn't even done her own makeup yet or put on her dress.

Her hair was curled loosely and her dark midnight blue dress was hanging on the door.

"Voila," Sydney announced, the finished touches completed on Alice. "You look marvelous, darling."

"You look really great, Alice," Lily insisted. Her own mask was on and she was ready to go.

"The two of you better not wait for me," Sydney said. "It's going to be awhile."

"Alice, are you ready?" Lily asked. Alice nodded. The two of them walked down the stairs and into the Common room. Only a couple of stragglers were in there, most likely waiting for Sydney, but otherwise, everyone else had already gone to the dance.

When the two of them arrived, they pushed open the door, revealing the sound of music and the sight of hundreds of people in masks. It was almost breath taking. Lily smiled at the sight of her and James' plan. They were brought to life and they were startlingly amazing.

"Prongs, won't she recognize you?" Sirius asked as he repeatedly kept switching partners. There were seven girls in all who had claimed the right to be his date.

"I don't think so," James answered, adjusting his mask. "She's very naive when she wants to be."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Prongs."

James looked over towards the entrance and his breath was quite literally gone. He was speechless. The most beautiful creature he had ever seen had stepped into the Great Hall. He knew at once it was Lily. Her bright green eyes behind her black silk mask gave her away. She had on a satin white dress that was simple and elegant. Her hair was wild, but neat all at once. The red curls made her look like some sort of goddess. Her bright smile at the sight of the dance was alluring.

He wouldn't rush into things, but instead wait for the opportune moment. Timing was indeed everything.

Lily had lost sight of Alice almost immediately. The amount of people in the hall made it hard to keep track of someone. There were so many people in masks that it was confusing as to who was who.

She steered towards the punch bowl. She watched as her fellow classmates danced away, hopefully not as shallow as they would have been at a normal dance. She felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned to see a tall guy with a black mask on.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her in a deep pleasant voice. It was somewhat entrancing.

She had nothing better to do so she agreed.

He took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. They danced through the entire song, having fun and laughing merrily. She felt really connected to whoever was behind that mask.

When a slow song came on, he thrust her body to his and danced closely to her. She wasn't sure how much she liked dancing that close, so she tried to step back a little, but felt his hand on her back. His hands started to travel and she was immediately disgusted. She tried escaping his grasp, but found it difficult to do so. She then tried pushing. Soon, she was at the point where she was losing hope of ever escaping that guy's grasp. At that moment, she felt him being thrown off of her. Another guy in a red mask had pushed him out of the way. Lily smiled gratefully. She looked at all the people staring at her and felt embarrassed. She decided that she needed some fresh air away from everyone.

Another small smile crept across her face as she thought of that guy in the red mask.

Sydney had had quite enough as she pushed another random guy off of her. This one's breath smelled of alcohol. She would not put up with a drunk date. Things always got messy in the end.

The dance had been fun when it started, but after awhile, she had grown bored with all the guys who had approached her. They all seemed the same. She thought the masquerade would be a time of mystery. She was all about surprises.

She walked out of the Great Hall and up the stairs, her heels clacking as she did so. When she had reached the Astronomy tower, she pushed open the door. Surprisingly, there weren't any couples making out by the stars. She walked over to the balcony and breathed in the air. She opened her eyes and looked up at the stars.

"It's beautiful at this time of night," a voice said from behind her. She saw a man sitting at the end of the balcony. He grinned. "You needed to get out of there as well?"

She nodded. "All my dates were drunk and noisy."

"As were mine," the man said. "Things get far too predictable at dances."

Sydney smiled, hearing her own feelings escape from this mystery man's mouth. She sat beside him. He took in her smell of lilacs and smiled. Her black hair was curled loosely and her bright blue eyes were penetrating into his own.

She rested her head on his shoulder, hoping that it was Evan Rosier underneath that mask. She had always found his hair quite irresistible. The two of them sat watching the stars for some time. Only when the masked man turned his head did they feel friction. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the mouth. He then turned his head back to the stars.

Sydney turned her head also, somewhat curious about this guy. Normally, she would never meet anyone content with only a kiss. For that, she felt comfortable.

Alice sadly walked out of the Great Hall and into the hallway. She took off her mask and stared at it in her hands. She saw someone else come out of the Great Hall, sit on the wall beside her and take off his own mask. He looked over at her in surprise.

"Guess you're not a fan of the masquerade either?" Frank Longbottom asked. Alice smiled.

"Nope," she answered. "I'm always afraid that I'm dancing with someone who will end up becoming a Death Eater or something."

"I don't really like the whole mask idea," Frank confessed. "It may work for some people, but I don't feel you're really getting to know the person that way. I mean, where's the truth in hiding behind a mask?"

"There isn't any," Alice replied. She smiled and blushed as Frank's hand touched her own.

As Lily stood outside, she heard leaves crumpling behind her. She turned and saw the man in the red mask smiling at her.

"Why'd you leave? I was just going to ask you to dance," he told her in a suave, smooth voice.

"It was very stifling in there," she told him. She realized that she had taken off the mask as she came out of the Great Hall.

"Don't worry," he insisted. "I won't tell anyone."

He seemed strangely familiar, but she couldn't really find a face for him.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her, holding out a hand for her to hold.

"Here?" she questioned.

"Yes," the man told her. "Here. We can still hear the music from the Great Hall."

She reluctantly took his hand and rested her head on his chest. He smelled fresh and clean, always a good smell on a boy. They danced for what felt like hours, until there was no more music.

Then, slowly, he leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Lily was surprised to find herself kissing him back. This was not the Lily Evans she was used to, but she kind of liked it. 


	4. Chapter 4

Halloween at Hogwarts had never been more extravagant. The usual house colors were gone, replaced by bright shades of reds, yellows, greens, and oranges. Music was cascading throughout the room, as were the dancers. The partners of each person rarely seemed to switch though. It seemed as if almost everyone wanted to know exactly who was hiding behind the mask.

The stroke of midnight was the official time of revealing one's self. Once the music had stopped, everyone looked at the clock. The stroke of midnight was upon them. Professor Dumbledore swayed his wand and a loud, almost bell-like sound propelled throughout the room, onto the grounds, and into the starry night.

In the Great Hall, maps were whipped off and the person behind it was revealed. Professor Dumbledore studied the atmosphere, almost anticipating the moment a shrewd scream would be proclaimed after a fairly brutal shock. Yet, none came. He watched as the students actually seemed pleasantly shocked. He looked for his two Heads, but was unable to locate either of them. It was due to them that this momentary unity was able to occur.

Sydney rested her head upon the masked stranger and smiled. She was thoroughly enjoying the mere company of a boy, opposed to the inevitable pressure dating brought. Just sitting quietly and watching the stars was enough for her.

The warm body beside her looked over, his mask still in place. She hadn't realized that she was wearing hers, making her just as mysterious to the other as he was to her.

Both of their heads snapped up as they heard a bell. That must have meant that it was already midnight. Sydney cursed silently, almost wishing that she could sit on the balcony with this unfamiliar person forever.

She was fairly sure it was Evan Rosier, although she knew from experience that Rosier was much more hands on. The person beside her was into intimacy, but only in the smallest gestures. He liked kissing her forehead, holding her hand, whispering in her ear. It was very romantic. She wished all men would treat women as such.

The two of them turned to face one another. Sydney looked into the captivating gray eyes of her date for that night and smiled. Simultaneously, the two of them pulled their masks off.

Sydney would have fallen straight off of that balcony due to shock if it had not been for Sirius' arm.

He pulled her up, his own mask lying forgotten on the edge.

"Sirius Black?" Sydney asked, almost thinking it was far too surreal to be true.

"I should have known," Sirius muttered to himself. "You have the brightest smile of all the girls at Hogwarts."

He didn't say this as a compliment though, merely a fact. It wasn't that Sydney and Sirius had an infamous grudge against one another not so unlike Lily and James. The two of them barely knew one another. The only telling they had heard of one another was usually not so good. Sydney was known for playing the field and enticing the male species with her bright blue eyes and gleaming smile. Sirius was known for his astonishing good looks, impeccable charm, and inability to commit.

It was so odd that from all the horrible things she had heard of Sirius, Sydney had gotten to know a very decent, sweet guy. The man with the mask had been so gentle and caring, so unlike Sirius Black. Sydney was simply astounded. One positive was that she had been correct in commenting that the mystery man had great hair; Sirius did.

"This is really awkward," Sirius exclaimed. Sydney nodded her head. "I mean, it's not that you're horrible or anything. I've always thought that we were on opposing sides though."

"Yes," Sydney answered. "We're too alike for our own good. It's very wrong."

"Wrong on a lot of levels," Sirius commented. "I mean, James is my best mate, Lily is yours. I date a lot of girls, you date a lot of guys. We're both very desired individuals. If two people of the same desirability came together, there would be no hope left at Hogwarts."

"You're right," Sydney agreed. She bit her lip and looked up at him. She couldn't help but think that he was extremely sexy.

Sirius was noticing that Sydney wasn't the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he could understand why most guys at Hogwarts were infatuated by her. He had never seen anyone like her.

"What the hell," Sirius mumbled, kissing her on the lips once again. They were too entranced by one another to realize that something extremely significant was going on down below them on the grounds.

Lily had stopped kissing her dancing partner and had gone on to resting comfortable on the soft ground with her head resting on his chest. His heartbeat was pacing unusually quick, but she guessed it was just nerves. The entire night she had been trying to place a face to this mystery man, as well as her previous dance partner before him.

She smiled as she realized she hadn't had this much fun at school. Usually, she was too concerned with everyone else's well being to focus on her own.

A loud bell rang and Lily looked down at her hand to see her black silk mask resting still in her hands. She looked up at her partner, but found him easing himself up. She stood and looked over at him.

He didn't seem to be reaching to reveal himself as he should have. Instead, he frowned sadly.

"I have to go," he told her quietly.

"What?" she asked, extremely perplexed. "Why? Aren't you going to tell me who you are?"

He walked slowly away, not turning his back on her just yet.

"I can't," he told her. "I just can't."

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked him.

"Yes," he assured her. "I will be sure that we meet up again. Thank you for the most amazing night."

With that, he ran off into the castle. Even though Lily was sad that she couldn't see her date, she had to admit, it was better this way. She was glad she didn't have to be disappointed. Someone completely horrendous could have been under that mask for all she knew. When she thought about it, it was hard to imagine that person as being anything but nice.

She walked back to the castle slowly, a smile dancing across her face every step of the way.

The morning after the masquerade, students were actually grateful for the chance to sleep in. The sun challenged it's way in through the window panes, shining carelessly into the eyes of those in slumber.

The sun was not what had woken Lily up that morning though. The sound of someone cursing furiously and hopping up and down woke her. She rubbed her eyes carefully as she attempted to pry them open. When she did, she saw her best friend holding her toe and swearing in pain.

She was still dressed in her dress gowns and had her hair and makeup still on, although they looked a lot less neat than they had the night before.

"What did you do?" Lily asked her friend.

"Stubbed my toe," Sydney confessed, jumping on her bed and immediately tucking herself under the covers, without even changing out of her dress. Her mask fell to the floor beside her.

Alice, who had woken up just as Lily had, smiled at her friend playfully.

"Did you just get in?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"Yes," Sydney sighed. It was a sigh of joy though, as Lily noted.

"What were you doing all that time?" Alice wondered.

"Snogging," Sydney divulged.

"With who?" Lily gasped.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sydney teased before closing the hangings around her and going to sleep.

"Alice, who did you end up with?" Lily inquired, still lying lazily in bed.

"Frank Longbottom," Alice told her friend with a hint of a blush in her cheeks.

Lily smiled, happy that Alice had finally gotten herself together with a good guy.

"How did that happen?" Lily asked.

"Well, neither one of us really found much honesty in the entire hiding behind a mask ordeal," Alice answered. "It may work for some people, but the two of us found ourselves outside the Great Hall. I talked with him until two in the morning. He is a very interesting person, it turns out."

Lily grinned, knowing that Alice seemed gleefully happy for a reason. Although, Alice wasn't one to overlook Lily's glowing face.

"Why're you so flushed, Miss Evans?" Alice asked. "Did you too find yourself a suitable guy?"

"I think I did," Lily replied, not going into much detail. She found herself almost hoping that she had known who was hidden behind that mask.

"What a pretty owl," Alice commented as an owl pecked its beak at the window. "Who does it belong to?"

Lily let the owl in through the window and saw that it had dropped two roses and a note.

_Dear Lily,_

I had one of the best times of my life last night with you. I would love to see you again. Meet me tonight by the lake at 11:00.

Someone as beautiful as you deserves more than just one rose. See you tonight.

There was no signature. Although, the note was not signed and the owl was unfamiliar, Lily knew precisely who it was from.

Both James and Sirius returned to the dorm at the exact same time. Peter and Remus looked up with suspicion at their two friends.

"Where have you two been?" Remus asked.

"I was just returning from the Owlery," James told them. "I came back last night, unlike Padfoot."

Sirius grinned, walking sleepily over to his bed and lying down with a silly expression all over his face.

"I take it things went good?" Peter asked his friend.

"Bloody fantastic," Sirius replied, his head resting on his pillow. "Best snogging of my life."

"Who was she?" James asked his friend.

"Hm, I'd tell you, but then I'd have to decapitate your head from your shoulders, use it as a bludger, and eventually use it as a chew toy during full moons," Sirius told his friend, shutting his hangings and going to sleep.

"A simple 'I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you' would have worked just fine," James mumbled, still smiling though.

"Points for his excellent creativity," Remus pointed out. He returned to folding the clean clothes underneath his bed. He looked over at his friend with an amused look.

"I take it you found Lily last night?" Remus asked.

"Sure did," James replied. "It was magical, Moony. I mean, I've never felt this way around a girl before."

"You've always liked Lily though," Peter reminded his friend.

"I have," James admitted. "But last night was what did it for me. She's truly magnificent. Plus, we kissed."

"Lily Evans kissed you?" Peter, Remus, and even Sirius from behind the curtains asked.

James nodded. "She doesn't know it was me though."

"Prongs, you idiot. You didn't tell her who you were?" Sirius asked, poking his head out.

"I should have?" James questioned. "I mean, what if she was horribly disappointed?"

"You're the one who created this bloody masquerade idea. I thought you were going to use it for your advantage," Sirius reminded his friend.

"Well, I was," James said. "But now it's in red mask guy's advantage."

"Red mask guy?" Peter inquired. "I like it."

"Well, red mask guy is better than black mask guy," James informed his friends. "Lucius Malfoy was basically trying to force himself on Lily last night. I could have killed him."

"We should," Sirius answered, now giving up much hope of going to sleep. James' stupidity would give him nightmares.

"I have tried so hard to get her to like me," James told his friends. "But now I'm starting to think she'll never accept me. The only way she'll like me is if she doesn't know who I am. If this is the only way to get Lily, I'll do it."

The fellow Marauders stayed silent. They all knew that when James set his mind to something, there was no trying to back him out of it. It was hopeless. He would have to learn on his own that he was going about things in the wrong way. 


	5. Chapter 5

That night at 11:00, Lily stood by the lake in a sweatshirt. The chilly air of November was far worst when one stood by a body of water. She hugged her arms around her, trying to keep warm. She was waiting, like the fool she was. She cursed under her breath, disappointed for even following through.

_He probably won't even turn up_, Lily thought to herself. _I bet whoever's behind that mask is having himself a good laugh right about now. Why did I even come?_

She turned as she heard footsteps coming from the castle stairs. He was dressed in his cloak, his red masked fixed properly on his face. It was night and she could barely see him, apart from his warm eyes and his mask. He walked over to her and smiled. He handed her another red rose.

"For you," he told her. He seemed shy to her, which she liked. She hated overbearing people who felt that they were almighty. Lily hated the way women were thrown around as men's property. She felt they were all created equally. A little bit of chivalry never hurt though. She blushed as she took the rose in her hand. Surprisingly, the thorns had been removed. She smiled up at her mystery man.

"When are you ever going to take that mask off?" she asked him softly, raising her hand up to remove it. "I want to know who you are. I want to know who I've been dreaming about; day and night."

He gently eased her hand away, clearly uncomfortable. "Not yet," he told her. "When the time is right, you'll know. Right now, can't we just be with each other?"

She nodded as he leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. She had never felt so attracted to someone who hadn't even shown her their face. It was more than physical. Whoever was behind that mask was a caring, sensitive person.

The two of them shared slow, shy kisses, not wanting to rush too far into things. Lily liked the fact that she didn't know who it was. She thought it was better this way. Yet, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind wouldn't go away throughout the entire night.

The next morning, Lily walked into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table red eyes and yawning. She had fixed her red hair back into a loose ponytail and it was obvious she wasn't as collected as usual.

"Morning," she stifled out as she helped herself to a glass of orange juice and a bowl of warm oatmeal.

"Good morning," Sydney said pleasantly. "What a good morning it is. I, for once in my life, have the pleasure of asking you where you were last night and who you were with."

"Oh," Alice responded as well, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Are we talking about the Head Girl of Hogwarts? Because, if we are, it would be very interesting to know what lured the Head Girl from her dormitory so late? I don't exactly remember a 4 AM curfew being one of the benefits."

Lily grinned, focusing her attention on her oatmeal. She knew the suppression of information from her friends was slowly killing them.

James entered the Great Hall, his glasses sitting crooked on his nose and his robes hanging off his shoulders loosely. There were dark bags under his eyes, but a fulfilled smile brightened his picture.

"Morning chaps," he said as he sat down across from his fellow Marauders. "What's for breakfast?"

"Oatmeal again," Peter whined. "Can't those house-elves become a bit more original?"

"Forget the oatmeal," Sirius insisted. "We have a very pleased Prongs on our hands here. I take it all went well with a certain flower last night?"

"That they did," James informed them.

"Well, if I'm correct, Prongs, I don't see Lily rushing over to greet you," Remus surveyed. "She looks happy, but she hasn't even acknowledged the fact that you're sitting in the same vicinity as her."

"She doesn't really know yet," he said quietly.

"Idiot," Sirius muttered. "How do you expect to win her over if you haven't even told her who you are?"

"I'm sorry," James explained. "But like I said before, if this is the only way I get to spend time with Lily, so be it. I'll live behind a mask forever if that's what it takes. I've never felt happier than when I'm kissing her. Never. I'm getting to know the real her. She wouldn't give me a chance if her life depended on it."

"We'll see about that," Sirius mumbled, shoveling in a large spoonful of his fourth bowl of oatmeal.

A couple of weeks passed without word from her masked man. Lily was starting to wonder whether their paths would ever cross again. Her thoughts were lingering on him while she sat in Transfiguration. She had never felt that way about someone in her entire life. He seemed so sincere, so trustworthy, but she was starting to wonder if somehow it had all been a dream.

"Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall acknowledged. "It is the end of class and I see that your wand has remained untouched throughout the entire session. How do you ever expect to catch up with the rest of the class if you keep daydreaming like this?"

Lily snapped back to reality. She looked at the board for the assignment, but panicked as she realized she had to get to her next class.

"I am so sorry, professor," Lily apologized. "I know I could do better, but-"

"There are no but's Lily," McGonagall told her. "You are one of the brightest and most responsible students I've ever taught. Somehow though, this year, Transfiguration has become your weak point. I know it's in you somewhere, you just need a bit of help. I am going to assign a tutor for you."

"A tutor?" Lily asked, appalled. "Professor, I'm Head Girl. I should be the one doing the tutoring, not receiving it."

"When your marks come up, then we'll see if your statement holds true. Until then, meet your tutor in the library tonight at seven o'clock sharp. Don't disappoint me, Lily," McGonagall told her before walking into her office.

"What's this?" Sirius asked as he took a piece of parchment away from James. "You're tutoring Evans? Hm, looks like you can forever forget the mask idea now. You'll be seeing her three times a week."

James nodded. He knew he should have been excited about it all, but truly, he wasn't. He knew that it could quite possibly take Lily all eternity to realize that he wasn't a half bad guy. The mask was the only way he could be real with her.

Almost reading his thoughts, Remus spoke up, "Why don't you try pretending you're wearing that mask while you're with her? Except, you won't be hiding behind it. You'll be showing her the real you."

James nodded once more. He hoped that things would go alright. He really did.

Lily sat at a table in the library where tutoring sessions usually took place. She looked down at her Transfiguration book glumly. She didn't know when she had started falling behind in the subject, but now it was getting out of hand.

Yet, she knew that she had never felt happier in her life. That counted for something.

James Potter rushed in and set his bag down on the table in a hurry. "Sorry I'm late," he told her. "There was a nasty fight in the halls that I had to break up. Apparently, a small game of Exploding Snap isn't for everyone."

Lily smiled, although she was somewhat disappointed. James Potter seemed to be everywhere she turned. She had to patrol with him, he was in her classes, he was in the halls, he was at the Quidditch pitch, he was in her common room, and now he was her tutor.

"So, McGonagall told me you need help," James started off. "I've been in classes with you before and I think I know what part of your problem is. You don't concentrate hard enough on the task."

Lily looked at him dumbfounded. "I don't concentrate? How do you think I am so good at Charms? Charms is all about concentration. Trust me, I concentrate."

"Then why didn't you even pick up your wand today in class?" he asked her. She didn't know what to say. He had her there. "Well, I think it's best to go back to the small stuff and work our way up." He pulled out a quill before her. "Let's try a simple Vanishing Spell."

"A Vanishing Spell?" Lily repeated. "That was from two years ago. Why do we need to try that again?"

"Just do it," James told her.

"_Evanesco_," she said, pointing her wand at the quill. It moved slightly, but otherwise, the spell had no effect on it whatsoever.

"You're not concentrating," James insisted. "Try it again."

"_Evanesco_," she repeated. The red coloring of the feather at the end of the quill was distracting her. It reminded her of the mask her mystery love wore. Thoughts of him came barging into her brain once more. She hated the fact that she couldn't keep her mind clear and her thoughts straight. A blush was rising in her cheeks.

"This isn't working," he declared. "Obviously, your mind is on something."

"The Masquerade Dance," Lily told him.

"Ah," he sighed, leaning back in his chair. "The infamous masquerade."

Although, it made him feel good to know she was thinking of him, it made him feel even worst when she had no idea that it was in fact him underneath that red mask. She was so smart, but he was getting the feeling that she was intentionally avoiding trying to figure out who he was. She was curious, but at the same time, she liked the allure of not knowing.

"You know, why don't you try focusing your attention on this quill," James advised her. "Forget about the masquerade. To you, it doesn't exist. This quill is the only thing you're worried about. You want it gone. Try the spell one more time. Forget everything about Halloween night."

She did as he told her to do, emptying her mind and focusing on vanishing the quill. Nothing except reciting that incantation was in her thoughts.

"_Evanesco_," she recited. After she said it, she had closed her eyes. She heard James laughing.

_How dare he laugh at me_, Lily thought angrily.

She opened her eyes to tell him off, but in fact found that the quill was gone. She had successfully vanished it.

She started laughing as well. She had never laughed harder in her life about something. She wiped tears from her eyes and clutched her side as stitches formed. She looked over at James and saw the warmth in his hazel eyes as he laughed.

"I did it," she finally said.

"Yes you did," James told her. "Congratulations."

"I couldn't have done it without you," she told him. "It's weird. Last year, I would have never been able to laugh about something like this. I would have never found such satisfaction is achieving something so petty."

James smiled. He was glad she was appreciating her hard efforts.

"You deserve it though," he informed her. "You managed to overcome an obstacle. Concentration was one of your problems and you proved to me right now that you can sit down and concentrate on a task."

She grinned, enjoying the empty space the quill had once sat upon. She set her hands on the table, but was surprised when it brushed against one of James'. They both jerked their hands away immediately, although Lily noticed he was blushing. She, herself, felt heat rising in her cheeks.

"Lily," he said to her, something that was rare for him. "Do you think that maybe, just this once, you could go with me on the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

He wasn't asking her out in his usual cocky manner. He was truly asking her, propositioning her for a date just for the pure satisfaction of being in her company.

She felt hurt when she heard the word, "No," drip from her lips. She appreciated James after that night, but she wasn't ready to forget about how she felt around that mystery man. "I'm sorry."

"That's ok," James told her, clearing his throat. "I understand. I'll see you later on for patrol then."

With that, he grabbed his bag and walked out of the library. He knew that while the red mask existed upon his face, the person behind that mask would never be able to win over Lily Evans.

"Where've you been?" Sydney inquired, as she turned over on her bed. Lily walked over to her own bed and lay her things down on the floor.

"Tutoring with Potter," she told her.

"James Potter is your tutor?" Alice asked. She was sitting on Sydney's bed also, having her toes painted. Sydney and Alice had grown to be better friends, as well as confidants.

"Unfortunately," Lily mumbled.

"This coming from the girl who called him 'James' not too long ago?" Sydney reminded her, enjoying the torment she was causing her friend. She knew Lily had a particular soft spot for anything involving James Potter, whether she wished to admit it or not.

Lily rolled her emerald green eyes at her friend and rest her head on her pillow.

"He asked me out again tonight," Lily told them.

"What'd you say?" Alice asked.

"No," Lily told them. She sighed. "It's not that he hasn't grown up; he has. It's just that I don't see him or any other boy at Hogwarts like that. I've found someone who's equally up to my level and is able to understand me in ways I never thought possible."

"What's his name?" Sydney inquired, her blue eyes shining for information.

"I don't know his name," Lily regretfully informed them. "He wears a mask every time we're together. A red, simple mask that seems to be just enough to keep his identity from me."

"So, you're giving up James Potter, the real deal, for some phony, no good, secretive guy?" Sydney asked. "I don't like the sound of that, Lily. He could take full advantage of you and you wouldn't even have a name."

"He's not like that," Lily told her friend. "He's sweet and gentle. He seems to actually care for me."

"Why is it that you're allowed to reveal yourself to him, yet he wont even take off his mask?" Alice asked. "Obviously, he's trying to hide something."

Lily had never thought of it that way. She didn't like looking too deep into the meaning.

"It really doesn't matter to me," she told them. "He's nice to me and that's all that matters."

"As long as you're happy," Sydney told her. "We'll support you."

Sydney was lying next to Sirius in his bed and was holding his hand and smiling at him. He played with her hair, enjoying how soft it was. Her blue eyes danced as he sent butterflies through her stomach. She leaned in and kissed him.

"Get a room," Peter called from the other side of the dorm. Sydney giggled as Sirius sent a shoe flying at his friend's head. It missed.

"You could have seriously injured me, you idiot," Peter complained.

"That's what I was going for," he told him. "I suppose he's right though. Do you want to take a walk?"

"I'd love to," Sydney told him, climbing out the bed. She looked over to see James sleeping in the bed next to her. She thought she saw a pair of red underwear under his bed and cringed at them. She picked it up, fully intending to lecture the Marauders on being a bit more sensitive, when she realized it was a red mask. She looked over at Sirius, shocked. 


	6. Chapter 6

"What is this?" Sydney inquired slowly, holding up a red mask before her, blue eyes locked on Sirius' gray ones. Her face had gone pale and thoughts were racing through her mind. Silence lingered throughout the room; only James' breathing from the bed beside her could be heard. Peter, Remus, and Sirius looked at her, stunned and unable to answer. "Someone tell me," she insisted. "Before I bring this to Lily."

"That's, um, James'," Sirius managed to say.

"I assumed so," Sydney informed him, her mouth thinned, opposed to the bright smile she almost always carried.

"That James is into some pretty kinky stuff," Sirius explained nervously, Peter nodding enthusiastically in agreement. "Ol' Florence Merryweather ought to be able to account for that. I heard her calling him Zorro one night. Pretty disturbing if you ask me."

"Zorro, is it?" Sydney asked once more, looking down at James from where she was standing. "I suppose this has nothing to do with the dance that occurred last month? It has nothing to do with why Lily doesn't know the identity of her dance partner? I should tell Lily right now."

"Come on, Syd," Sirius pleaded. "Give the boy a break. I mean, he may not be the brightest candle in the chandelier, but his heart's in the right place."

"Treachery, is what this is," Sydney cried out. James stirred slightly, but managed to roll over and forget the sound of a shouting seventeen-year-old girl beside his bed.

"Let James do it himself," Remus reasoned softly. "He's in love with her. We all know it. This is the only way she's been able to tolerate him and for some reason, that brings him some sort of comfort. Let him be the one to tell her."

"I suppose it is a bit romantic," Sydney added reluctantly. She set the red mask down upon the messy floor and walked over towards Sirius.

"That's the spirit, love," Sirius commented merrily. "Now, let's go take a walk. We can talk about it if you'd like."

"I'd rather not," she told him. "I just don't like keeping things from her."

"Well," Sirius sighed, leading her down the steps. "Not all of us are truly comfortable with taking a leap of faith. Especially James when it comes down to Lily."

The month of December was upon Hogwarts and James still hadn't broken the news to Lily about his secret identity, even with Sydney's threat at hand. Yet, there had been no visits from the mysterious red masked stranger. James had continued tutoring Lily and had grown even fonder of her. Somehow, he enjoyed the person inside of her more than any other person he had ever met, including his friends. He felt a connection with her unlike anyone else.

One night, after dinner, the dark sky was glistening with a crescent moon and stars gleamed in the night sky. Sydney found every single one of them intriguing and every night she sat upon the window ledge and gazed up at the sky. Some nights she would slip away to the Astronomy Tower, where Sirius was sure to sit with her.

That particular night, she smiled as her ocean-like eyes darted up at the sky once more. She was still sitting on the ledge, an oversized sweatshirt covering her knees and her deep red toenails peaking out from beneath. Her attention was straying elsewhere, but the fact that the night was calm gave her a serene, almost peace-like, feeling.

"Frank and I are taking things slow," Alice explained to Lily, her blonde hair in a loose ponytail and her eyes gleaming at the mention of her boyfriend of over a month. "We had our first kiss last night."

"Where was it?" Sydney inquired from the ledge.

Alice smiled and blushed. "We were taking a walk and all of a sudden, he just leaned in and kissed me. It was perfect."

Lily grinned as she listened to her friend. Alice George had always been shy and reserved, but through the past couple of months, Lily and Sydney had grown extremely close with her. It was interesting and refreshing to have a new person, an entirely new perspective, to speak with. She was kind and sensitive. Lily had never seen her so radiant as she was when she was speaking of Frank Longbottom though. Her face glowed and Lily was fairly sure these were the first signs of love.

"That sounds wonderful," Lily agreed. She, herself, was almost craving the romantic stories her friends shared with her. She had given up hope on the mysterious stranger whom she had reserved a spot in her heart. For almost a month she had heard no word.

"Last night, Sirius made it official," Sydney informed her friends. Her voice was soft and happy, but the look on her face told Lily otherwise.

"Is that a problem?" Lily questioned.

"No," her friend answered. "It's just that I am afraid of what will happen if we break up. I love spending time with him, but once you've made a commitment, things go downhill."

"Syd, is Sirius like every other guy?" Lily asked, locking her emerald green eyes onto her friends'.

"No," Sydney replied. "I feel different when I'm with him. I know I'm not being used. I know he cares about me, thinks I'm special, and is completely satisfied by the mere company I provide him."

"Then I think you know that your relationship with him won't be like every other one you've had," Lily explained. "Give it a chance. You never know how great it can be until you've tried."

Sydney nodded, taking in the words, although a curious expression crossed her face.

"I never took you as a hypocrite, Lily," Sydney mused, shaking her hair out of her ponytail and letting it sit free.

"How is Lily a hypocrite?" Alice asked, seeing her friend's shocked face.

"I reckon that you'd never know what great things could come out of a relationship with James Potter until you've tried," Sydney responded.

"Potter?" Lily inquired. "The very same Potter who I happen to have a remarkably horrible history with?"

"What was the last horrible thing he's done to you?" Alice asked, raising a blonde eyebrow at her friend.

"Look, I know he's changed," Lily assured them. "I do. He's much more responsible, he doesn't indulge in his immature ways anymore, and he's stopped badgering me about Hogsmeade. I just don't think it would ever work."

"If this is about that mask guy," Alice started. "I want you to know that I don't agree with it one bit. For all we know, that guy could be cheating on his girlfriend with you. He could be the vilest individual at this school. You deserve an honest guy, Lily. Someone who hides behind a mask is not willing to have a consistent relationship with you. You're at his beck and call whenever he needs some downtime from his real life. It's fraud."

Lily had never looked at it that way. Fraud, scandal, lies. She was not a bad person. Yet, something about the mystery of it all intrigued her. She knew Alice had a point. She just couldn't spare the thoughts and longing for someone who cared about her the way this person did. She liked feeling special and she didn't want that feeling to go away.

"Prongs, you need to tell her," Remus told his friend one day as he saw a red rose on James' bed and a piece of parchment lying out. It suspiciously looked like a note to Lily.

"I know," James sighed as he fell down on his bed. He shut his eyes momentarily and took in a breath of clarity. He knew he was being dishonest. He knew that each time he met with Lily in the library, her thoughts would be elsewhere. He only wished that there were some other way.

"If she doesn't like you for who you are, Prongs, then I don't think she's worth it," Peter informed his friend. "No girl is."

"Peter, the entire time I've known Lily Evans, something about her caught my attention. Something inside of her seemed to scream out at me, 'Don't give up on me'. I've been living off of that feeling I get. My instinct tells me not to back off, but the evidence in front of me says otherwise. If she doesn't like me after I tell her, I won't forget her, but I'll respect the fact that nothing I do will ever change her mind," James informed Remus and Peter. "I'm going to tell her. This weekend."

"I'm proud of you, mate," Remus said, clapping his friend on the back. "Good luck."

"I tutor her tomorrow," James announced. "Hopefully, soon, she'll forget about that mask."

The Slytherin Common Room was dark and cold that evening. Five people stood before the fire, in silence with expectant looks upon their faces. It was a common known fact throughout their house that the Chamber of Secrets was not the only addition Salazar Slytherin has made without the other three founder's consent. A private fireplace was also included.

The five people, Severus Snape being one of them, were willing to do anything and everything their master asked of them in order for his new plan to succeed. Although he wouldn't be there personally, the Dark Lord was recruiting once more.

With a pop, the worn yet deceptive face of their master appeared within the fire. The fire in the Slytherin Common Room was the safest way of communicating without being intercepted. A feature that guaranteed this safety was the fact that it wasn't traceable to the Ministry of Magic.

"My servants," Tom Riddle greeted, his dark eyes scanning the five before the fire. "Severus, Lucius, Narcissa, Avery, and Rabastan. The loyalty in this room has not wavered for one moment, especially not now when I need you all the most."

"Master," they chanted in devoted whispers. He smiled once more, sending chills up each and every one of their spines.

"I have heard news of a new society Dumbledore has created in order to prevent my power from merging even more," Lord Voldemort informed them. Nasty comments were muttered at the mention of the headmaster's name. "The Order of the Phoenix has not yet been fully developed, but with the talent in this school, it is highly possible that Dumbledore will be welcoming students to join. Now, it is your job to track down and persuade the following people to join me. Bring them to me, however reluctant they are, and let them meet their master."

"Yes, my Lord," they murmured.

"Good," he commented. "Now, I wish for you all to bring me the following people using whatever means necessary; Dorcas Meadows, Sirius Black, Frank Longbottom, and James Potter."

Snape scowled as his master mentioned Potter's name. He didn't wish for Potter to join their side. He more than hoped he would have the opportunity of killing James himself one day. Yet, whatever his master asked, he received.

The five of them bowed as their master's head popped out of view.

"Potter, hm," Lucius Malfoy contemplated. "That should be a real treat. His entire family is devoted to stopping our cause. Severus, you'll follow him, won't you? Narcissa, follow your cousin. I'll take care of Longbottom. Avery and Rabastan, you follow Meadowes. This Saturday night at midnight, we'll bring them to our master."

The others nodded, knowing not to talk back to Malfoy. He was highly respected by the Dark Lord and was a member of Voldemort's Inner Circle.

Snape cringed at the idea of following Potter, but he would do what he must. 


	7. Chapter 7

Thursday night came quickly and James sat at a table in the library. Tutoring Lily had been about the only good thing in his life, besides his entire mask charade, and he always enjoyed it. He felt that the two of them were relating on a closer level now.

For some odd reason he felt as though someone was staring at him. He quickly snapped his head behind him, to see if maybe Lily was looking for him, but only saw shadowed bookcases. He shrugged and continued doodling on a scrap piece of parchment.

Lily rushed in, flushed, and disordered. She set her books on the table and sat down, catching her breath.

"Sorry," she told him. "I almost forgot about our session tonight. I guess my mind was just wandering elsewhere."

"It happens," James said understandably, although inside he was feeling a bit differently.

_Hm, I guess she hasn't forgotten about the mask_, he thought to himself._ I really hoped she would have. It would have made this so much easier._

He turned his head quickly again as the feeling that someone was watching him still lingered. Yet, no one was there. He sadly turned back to Lily and tried teaching her the basic principles of human transfiguration.

Later that night, after Lily had long since returned from her tutoring session with James, she sat upon her bed, listening to Alice chat merrily with Sydney about the fluttery feeling she got whenever she saw Frank.

Lily smiled a bit as she remembered the accomplished and proud look on James' face as she had successfully changed her eyebrow to yellow and then back to it's original auburn color.

A tap at her window made her forget. She opened it and revealed an owl. She smiled as she untied the letter from the owl's leg. Sydney watched on disapprovingly.

_Dearest Lily,_

I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. Don't you think for a moment that I'd forgotten about you. You're far too unforgettable. Meet me by the lake tonight in five minutes time. Be sure to bring a sweater.

XoXo

She rushed off of her bed, grabbed a jacket and nearly sprinted down the stairs.

"What was that about?" Alice inquired, brushing her blonde hair.

"It was love, Alice," Sydney explained quietly. "She's in love with a stranger."

Severus Snape slipped out of the castle quietly, James Potter walking hurriedly in front of him. He saw that Potter was fumbling with something in his pocket and wondered why on Earth they were out on the grounds at this time of night.

Snape found a comfortable bush and hid behind it stealthily. He watched as James ruffled his hair as the wind shifted through it. The nights were cold, but Potter was only wearing a sweatshirt.

The answer to his previous question was soon answered. James took a red mask from his pocket and slipped it on his face. Snape watched in curiosity and then, hearing movement from the castle entrance, shifted his gaze.

Lily Evans was walking down the castle steps merrily, smiling at Potter. Snape couldn't believe his eyes. Evans and Potter were seeing each other? Hell had indeed frozen over.

He was about to leave Evans and Potter to their kinky games involving a red mask when he heard Lily say, "Why don't you just tell me who you are?"

Snape, pleased with this acquired information, grinned and slipped out of the bush and back into the castle. Lucius Malfoy would indeed love to hear this information.

"A red mask, you say?" Malfoy inquired, his sleek blonde hair reflecting off the moonlight peering through the window. "That's interesting."

He darted a look over at Narcissa, who was sitting on the couch with her arms folded and her lips pursed, and said to her, "Narcissa, leave. I need a word with Severus."

Reluctantly, Narcissa Black got up and walked up the steps leading to her dorm room.

"Severus," Lucius addressed calmly. "We must use this."

"I felt the same way," Snape agreed. "I feel that torture could be in the works."

"Yes, yes," Malfoy pondered. "Yet, I asked Narcissa to leave because I have a confession. While I was at that masquerade, I came upon a girl at the punch bowl. Well, let's just say I overdid myself and someone tore me off of her. This someone must have been James Potter. The nasty brute, he is. I imagine Evans was the girl I was dancing with."

He made a face of sheer disgust at the thought of dancing with a mudblood.

"That would explain a lot," Snape reasoned. "Potter would do anything to protect Evans."

"Anything?" Lucius quipped, a warped smile appearing on his already twisted face.

James sat upon the hard Earth, the cold night breeze sending chills up his spine. Yet, he couldn't find the inspiration to move. Lily Evans had her head in his lap and he was stroking her soft, red curls.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. His hand brushed by her ear and he realized they were freezing. He frowned and tried lifting her head off of him. She only shifted slightly and snuggled her arm around his.

"Do we have to leave?" she asked quietly.

He wished the answer were no, but sadly, that was not true. He wished they could stay like that forever, but he knew she would get sick if they did.

"Yes," he replied. "We do."

"Will I ever see you again?" she questioned, looking up at him.

"Of course," he assured her. "This Saturday night, at midnight, meet me by the lake. I'll be here waiting for you."

She smiled and tried to get up. Yet, she only fell back into his lap and closed her eyes. She was asleep within minutes.

He sighed and lifted her into his arms. He walked her back into the castle like that. He entered the common room where Sydney Davis was sitting on the couch, obviously waiting for both him and Lily.

"Did you tell her?" she asked. He shook his head. "Good going, James. Why don't I just tell her?"

"Lower your voice," he advised. "Here, let me put her on the couch."

"Fine," Sydney said, frustrated. "You have to tell her sometime though."

He nodded, took off his mask and sighed. "Syd, I'm trying, I really am. You have no idea how hard it is though. I think I love her."

"James, I've always known that," Sydney informed him. "Always. I just don't understand why you'd hide behind some mask like that. Are you a Gryffindor or not?"

He nodded. "I'm telling her this Saturday."

"Don't disappoint me, Potter," Sydney warned as she made her way up the stairs.

Saturday approached much more quickly than James had hoped for. He was regretting that night, his heart agonizing at the thought of Lily despising him. He didn't know if he could take it.

He passed her in the hall that morning as he made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast. She seemed positively upbeat. He felt ashamed for having to bring her down so much when she was so happy.

He walked into the hall, trying not to look at her at all. It would only make things harder.

"I'm going with you tonight, Severus," Lucius Malfoy informed Snape that morning. "I've assigned Longbottom to Avery, so that's all taken care of."

"May I ask why? Do you feel I am, perhaps, incapable of capturing my own assignment?" Snape asked coldly.

"Not at all, Snape," Malfoy insisted. "I just want to get my revenge on Potter and his poor little mudblood."

Snape grinned. That didn't sound at all bad to him.

"Sirius, do you have to go?" Sydney asked as he got up from the windowsill in the astronomy tower.

"Sadly," Sirius explained. "I got a note from James this afternoon about meeting him at midnight."

Sydney looked at him, suspicions forming. "Where?"

"Charms corridor," Sirius told her. "Got to go, love."

He kissed her on the cheek and left the tower.

_I thought James was telling Lily tonight_, she thought.

For a couple moments, she sat there thinking of the entire confusing scenario. She looked down out of the window and onto the grounds. Sure enough, she saw James pacing by the water. She got up and rushed out the door, hoping that Sirius, James, and Lily weren't in trouble.

As Lily walked cheerfully down the stone steps of the castle and onto the grounds, she smiled contently, the smell of her jasmine perfume filling the air. She saw him standing by the lake and she rushed up to him, kissing him swiftly.

He didn't look as happy as she did, for some reason. She stood carefully, observing his facial expression.

"Listen Lily," he started off.

"No," Lily interrupted. "Don't say it. You don't want to see me again?"

"That's not it," he insisted. "I just was going to tell you something.."

His hand slowly crept up to his mask and he was about to pull it off when a laugh came from behind Lily. He looked and saw Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape, their wands out and sinister looks of glee on their faces.

"Isn't this romantic?" Malfoy taunted, noticing the fact that they didn't have their wands. "Two lovebirds taking a stroll by the lake."

"What do you want?" James spoke up nervously. He eyed Lily and remembered that he still had his mask on.

"Join us," Malfoy offered quietly. "Join us tonight. Become one with us."

Lily looked from her mystery date to Malfoy and Snape.

"What is going on? Someone explain it to me," Lily demanded. "Now!"

"You want to know what's going on my mudblood princess?" Malfoy asked. "You really want to know? The truth may kill you."

Malfoy grabbed her fast, his arm around her neck, and faced her towards James, who had been prevented from stopping Malfoy.

With a flick, Snape revealed the man behind the mask to Lily Evans, once and for all.

"That's right, mudblood," Malfoy whispered into her ear. "That's James Potter for you." 


	8. Chapter 8

As Sirius walked down the Charms corridor, he peeled his eyes open in search of James. He hadn't really inquired his friend about it, seeing as the note advised him not to. It had said that all would be explained at midnight. A curious feeling crept up on him, sending him shivers. He could only wonder what his friend would need to talk to him about.

"Expelliarmus!" a voice shouted from around the corner. Sirius tried to grasp a hold of his wand, but failed. Instead, it flew to the ground next to his cousin, Narcissa. Narcissa's long blonde hair glistened in the dark, her pale eyes shining in glory.

"Dear, dear cousin," she emphasized slowly. "So much you have to learn."

Sirius glared at her, anger bubbling inside of him. She pointed both of her wands at him, a victorious grin fastened upon her face.

"What do you want, Narcissa?" Sirius demanded impatiently. "I'm not here to play any of your demented mind games."

"I think you have me confused with your other cousin," Narcissa insisted. "Bella is the master of mind games."

"Wouldn't shock me," Sirius spat. "She's always been a bit twisted and mental."

"Harsh," his cousin whispered. "Did our mudblood-loving Mr. Potter convince you of that?"

Sirius thought for a moment about her reference to James. He instantly realized that it had not been James who had sent the note; it had been Narcissa.

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Narcissa informed him. "You can come willingly, or I can bring you by force. What shall it be?"

"Where are we going?" Sirius asked cheekily.

"To the Dark Lord," Narcissa informed him. "For some odd reason, he wants you to join him."

"Probably wants to add one more to his Black collection," Sirius mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Your dear master has always been a bit insane, if you ask me."

"Don't talk about the Dark Lord that way," Narcissa shrieked, sending a hex over at him. Sirius dodged it, smirking.

"Well, let me set the record straight," Sirius said daringly. "I will never join him. Never."

"As if you have much choice in the matter," Narcissa proclaimed. "You should have gone with the easy way."

She raised both wands, her mouth opening to recite an incantation, when she fell over onto the tiled floor. Sydney turned the corner and flashed her infamous smile. Her bright blue eyes were shining in triumph.

"Syd!" Sirius said, running up to her and kissing her. "That was brilliant!"

"I try," Sydney said jokingly. "I knew that this must have been a set up. James is down by the lake right now."

Sirius and Sydney stood in silence for a moment before Sirius looked up at her in panic.

"If they wanted me to join the dark side, there is a very high possibility that they wanted Prongs as well," he informed her, his voice shaky. "We need to get down there."

She nodded and he grabbed her hand. The two of them set off down the stairs and towards the grounds.

"That's right, mudblood," Malfoy whispered into her ear. "That's James Potter for you."

Lily looked over at the man that had previously hidden behind the mask. James Potter looked up at her, his hazel eyes apologetic and worry lined across his face. His unmanageable black hair was now more obvious than ever. She wondered how she hadn't noticed it before.

She felt the color draining from her face and her heart surged with anger. Her emerald eyes were filling with tears of both disappointment and hatred. After all those tutoring sessions, he hadn't once told her. Not once. He had used her to fulfill some sick fantasy that he had desired since fifth year. Inside, she was struggling, but as Malfoy held onto her, she acknowledged that she had stopped putting up a fight. She was too much in shock.

"Let go of her," James screamed, as Malfoy tightened the hold on Lily's neck. "Stop it. You'll kill her. Stop!"

"And if I do what's in it for me?" Malfoy demanded. "What's in it for me?"

"I'll do whatever you want," he pleaded. "I'll give you whatever you want. Just don't hurt her. Don't hurt Lily. Take me instead. Hurt me."

"Pathetic," Snape muttered. "Absolutely pathetic."

Snape revealed a mask of his own from within his cloak. A white skeletal face adorned the front and hid the fact that a Hogwarts student was concealed beneath it. Malfoy took one of his own from his pocket, one of his arms clinging onto Lily, the other placing the mask on his face.

"Join us, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "Join us and your precious mudblood shall be spared."

Lily looked to the ground, knowing full well what James would choose. The entire Potter line was known for their nobility and stance against Voldemort. There was no way James would agree to this, no matter how strong his infatuation with her was. She was preparing herself to die.

"Fine," James answered softly. "Just let her go."

She looked up at him, small tears releasing themselves from her eyes. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. James Potter, joining the dark side? She felt Malfoy's hand release itself from around her neck. She fell to the ground roughly, scraping her arm on a thistle. The blood flowed freely. She ignored the small juts of pain seeping through her.

"No, James," she whimpered from the ground as Malfoy and Snape grabbed onto his arms. "Don't."

He looked over at her, the same hazel eyes she had been dreaming about for months, and she knew that he cared for her. No matter how much deceit and confusion he had caused, he genuinely cared for her. Even though she still felt a rush of anger soaring through her veins, she couldn't let them hurt him. She couldn't.

"Stop!" she screamed, trying to get up. She quickly fell as she tried, her emotions taking their toll on her. "James, don't join him!"

The three of them were already at the castle doors when she gave up hope. She slammed her fist against the ground and cried. She hadn't cried in years, but these tears wouldn't cease. She let them all out, the anger, the hurt, the love, the devotion. Everything came spilling out all at once and she didn't know if she even wanted it to stop.

_He needs my help_, she reminded herself. _He needs me. He just gave himself over to Voldemort for me and all I can do is sit here and cry. I damn well need to get up and help him._

With much determination, she pulled herself together and stumbled towards the doors. She cried out in relief as she saw Sydney and Sirius, their wands with them and panic accompanying them.

"Sydney! Sirius! They took James," she cried out. "They took him!"

"Lily, calm down," Sirius coaxed quietly. "Where did they take him?"

"The Slytherin Common Room," she told them. "I'm sure of it. That's the only place they could meet with Voldemort. Voldemort wants James!"

Sirius nodded and headed back into the castle, Sydney and Lily following him. Lily figured Sirius already knew the route to the Slytherin Common Room, but instead of going there, they were walking back towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Sirius," Lily said quietly. "Why are we here?"

They had reached the Fat Lady and Sirius had entered the portrait hole.

"We need to save James," she whimpered, her head in Sydney's shoulder. Sydney tried soothing her.

"Accio cloak," Sirius recited. A cloak made of sleek silvery material flew from the upstairs dorm.

"Is that an Invisibility cloak?" Lily asked.

Sirius nodded. He threw it to Sydney. "The two of you need to wear it when we go in."

"What about you?" Sydney questioned suspiciously. "Please tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to do."

"I'm going to hand myself over to him," Sirius informed them, leading the way. Lily and Sydney slipped under the cloak.

Once they reached the entrance to the Common Room, Sirius saw Narcissa waiting for him, her arms folded across her chest and a grin on her face.

"I knew you'd show up," she said. "Nice trick your friend Davis pulled back there. Luckily Avery saw me and revived me. Good to know you've finally come to your senses."

"If I may confess, I've secretly been considering it for a long time," he told her, the smoothest tone in his voice. He sounded utterly convincing. "I've always assumed that my loyalties belonged to Hogwarts and Dumbledore, but after talking with Regulus, I'm convinced."

"You talked to your brother?" Narcissa asked.

"Just this afternoon," Sirius lied. "The reason I turned you down tonight was because I was confused."

"Well, at least you know now where your loyalties lie," Narcissa said, whispering the password to the Common Room. The door opened. "Follow me."

Narcissa entered quickly, but Sirius stalled by pretending to sneeze, thus allowing Sydney and Lily to enter efficiently.

He looked around the cold, dark room and saw Malfoy punching James across the face.

"Just a bit of payback, if you know what I mean, Potter," Malfoy said coldly. "Now then, our master should be with us at any moment."

Frank Longbottom and Dorcas Meadows were also seated, angry expressions on their faces.

"Our master should be here at any moment," Snape announced to the room, his mask still firmly on his face.

Sirius reluctantly sat down on the couch next to James, whose nose was now bleeding. Sirius felt Lily and Sydney pass by him and stand behind them. He heard someone whisper, "Incendio" and James' ropes were burnt from his hands. He kept them there just in case and felt a wand slip into his hand.

The fire flickered for a moment and everyone turned to look at it. James and Sirius took their chance.

"Stupefy!" they bellowed, a red flash of light filling the room. The five Slytherins who had been standing by the fire had all been stunned. Sirius turned to release Frank and Dorcas when he heard a voice.

"Well, well, well," a voice from the fire said. "If it isn't Black and Potter?"

Lord Voldemort had made his appearance from within the fire just in time. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Well, well, well," a voice from the fire said. "If it isn't Black and Potter?"

Lord Voldemort had made his appearance from within the fire just in time. The seven students snapped their heads fearfully towards the fire. Indeed, a man with dark, jet black hair, dark eyes, a waxy, somewhat gaunt face, and a menacing smile was staring at them all, an amused expression adorning his face.

Sirius, Sydney, Dorcas, Frank, and James made to exit the portrait hole, but for some reason, Lily couldn't move. She seemed mesmerized by the face hanging inside the bright, flickering flames.

"Lily," James said, trying to usher her out of the room before someone came down from a dorm upstairs and revived the Slytherins. "Come on, we need to go."

Instead, she walked slowly towards the fire, her eyes somewhat glazed over. She sat down on her knees and Voldemort laughed.

"Lily Evans," he said softly. His eyes barely moved as he spoke the words. He was intent on staring straight into hers. "It seems as though Potter here has tricked you."

James stepped closer, wiping blood from his nose, and tried to grab a hold of Lily's arm to help her up. It remained limp.

"What are you doing to her?" James demanded fiercely. He lifted her from the ground, but she didn't seem to notice.

When Voldemort didn't answer, James began to worry. "Stop it!" he shouted. Her eyes began to tear and he panicked. "You're hurting her! Stop!"

"Join me," Voldemort roared, his eyes still focused on Lily's. "Join me, Potter, and I shall let her go."

He knew Lily would never want him to join Voldemort. Yet, what choice did he have? He couldn't bare to see her hurt anymore.

"I-," he started. Yet, something seemed to happen. Lily's head snapped back and her arm sprang up to her temple instinctively. Voldemort's head vanquished from the fire.

She let a small tear stroll down her cheeks and rubbed her forehead. She looked around, dazed, until her eyes landed on James'.

"What happened?" he asked her, his voice unsteady. She shook her head, trying to forget what had just happened. Sirius and Sydney burst into the room once more.

"Where'd you guys go?" Sydney asked. "We thought you were behind us, but when we turned to look, the two of you were gone."

James gave his best friend and Sydney a look that clearly stated 'Leave it alone for now' and the four of them headed out of the Common Room.

It had been an extremely long night for all of them. Sydney and Sirius headed up to the Boys' Dorm to fall asleep, leaving Lily and James to talk.

James transfigured a quill into a small ice pack and gently rested it on Lily's forehead. He had a slight idea of what had happened to her, but would let her tell him when she was ready.

She leaned back, holding onto the ice pack, and seemed to become immersed in deep thought. James sat back and watched, his own mind toggling around with theories. He knew she was mad at him, probably more than mad, but he hoped that they could put it all behind them.

"I don't think I'm mad anymore," she confessed after what felt like an eternity of sitting in the Common Room. He looked up at her, surprised.

"You're not?" he inquired. "Because if you are, I completely understand. That was a horrible thing to put you through, Lily, and I apologize."

"Don't," she insisted sharply. "Don't apologize for it. It was dishonest and low, I admit. Yet, it wasn't completely horrible. Even though you were hiding behind some mask, you seemed real to me. Almost like a fairy tale, but you were actually real. It wasn't make believe."

James nodded, wishing he had told her sooner than she had found out. He had never meant for her to discover his true identity that way.

"I was livid and shocked the minute Snape took that mask off of your face," she assured him. "It was all so overwhelming. For a while, I told myself that it didn't matter who you were because you treated me well, which you did. You treated me with respect and you were a gentleman the entire time. Yet, all those times you could have told me, you didn't."

"You don't understand," he told her. "You have no idea how I felt. I know I should have told you, but you make it sound like it was an easy option. Trust me, it wasn't. That first night we were together, I couldn't find the nerve to tell you. I'd just experienced the most perfect moment of my life and I knew that if I told you, you would overreact. I wouldn't blame you, seeing as I've been known to be a huge prat in the past, but this was my chance to show you that I'm not a prat anymore. Well, at least not as a big of a prat. Then, in the library, you were fantasizing about that mask and I couldn't just ruin it for you. I just-I guess I was a bit stupid."

Lily nodded, although that's not what she had expected. She had thought that Potter had done it just to live out some kinky dream he'd had, but it seemed to involve much more. She had never realized she was so intimidating either.

"Lily, I'm sorry," he told her. He got up off the couch and bent down on his knee, holding her hand and looking into her eye. "You've never ever let me get to know you on such a personal level and I needed that chance. I needed to know you, Lily. I love you."

She blinked, unable to believe what she was hearing. James Potter had just told her that he loved her.

"James," she said softly. He looked up at her, his brilliant hazel eyes looking hopefully into her own. "When we were in the Slytherin Common Room, V-V-Voldemort seemed to be playing with my mind and bringing back memories that he knew I found horrible. At the sight of the very last one, I managed to break away from it. Do you know what that image was?"

"What was it?" he asked her carefully.

"It was Malfoy and Snape taking you away from me," she told him. "They took the one person who had made me feel so special. They took you away from me."

He didn't know how to react to this. It was powerful and very unexpected. He almost felt as if the entire thing had been a dream.

"James Potter, you are an arrogant, bullying toe-rag," she told him, causing his eyes to become wide. "But I've never felt as special as I did when I was with you."

"That's a shame," he told her. "Because you are special. You're brilliant, Lily."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him. It was weird, seeing as they'd already kissed before, but something about that moment was defining. It was their first real kiss and it was shy and new to both of them. Yet, it felt perfect.

Sirius and Sydney had crept down the stairs quietly and were both observing the scene. They watched as Lily slipped her hand inside the pocket of his robe and pulled out the red mask. She went to throw it, but someone interrupted her.

"Hey," Sirius intervened. "That could be useful."

With that, he and Sydney walked up the stairs, giggling and saying something along the lines of 'Call me Zorro'.

Lily and James laughed and both relaxed inside of the sofa.

"Were you really going to join the dark side for me?" she asked him.

"Yes," he confessed. "I was. He was going to kill you and I couldn't let that happen."

"Thank you," Lily said quietly.

"For what?" he inquired.

"Everything," she murmured into his ear. "Everything."

The end of the school year meant the end of the seventh years' time at Hogwarts. The night before the students graduated, James and Lily were inside the boys' dorm.

"Lily," James called from his bed where he was looking at pictures. "What are you doing?"

When she failed to answer, James eyed the bathroom door suspiciously. "Lily, are you still in there?"

With no warning whatsoever, the door snapped open and Lily was wearing the oh-so-familiar red mask. James laughed as she said, "Call me Zorro."

"Take that thing off," he insisted. These days, the mask was somewhat of a joke between all of them. Yet, it was kept around as a reminder of how their relationship had began.

The Slytherins had been found that morning by a sixth year, who had revived them all. When James, Lily, Sydney, Sirius, Frank, and Dorcas had informed their headmaster about the incident, he had promised them he would try and collect evidence.

Yet, somehow, all of the Slytherins could recall being in the Common Room and they all denied the private fireplace. Without any evidence, there was nothing Dumbledore could do, although he seemed to imply that he didn't believe the Slytherins for one moment.

The N.E.W.T's had been taken, causing Lily to turn into a nervous wreck. Yet, this year she had James there to ease her tension. With his help, she felt that she had at least gotten an E on her exam overall. After the test, she had thanked him so much and told him that he was the best boyfriend ever; causing him to be overjoyed.

Now, as the seventh year died away, Lily sat next to James on his bed, her head resting on his shoulder, and she knew that she had made the right decision to forgive him. After all, in a way, he had saved her. Not only from death, but from loneliness.

As she held that red mask in her hand, she smiled. It wasn't something to be ashamed of. It was a token of their love and served as a constant reminder of how much they loved one another. For that, Lily was grateful for the mask.

**A/N: Not long, but it wasn't meant to be long. That is indeed the end of the road. I hope it went well. I know it could have been better, but I hope it served it's purpose. Tell me how you liked the story (even if the ending was weak). I appreciate all reviews.**

Thank you for reading & I hope to see you all back in the future when I write other stories. Thanks again!


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